Page 36 of Run Free

The line went silent and then Lily squealed an unnaturally high-pitched noise.

“You’re serious? You’re not kidding us right now. Oh, my gosh. Clara, that’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you. Wait, is this good news? Because you know when I found out your brother was my mate, it wasn’t the greatest news of my life. I know all about how difficult mating can be now.”

“Really?” Thomas asked.

It was true Lily Westin had not been pleased to find Thomas was her one true mate, but once the shock had worn off and she’d given him a chance, everything had worked out fine. They were as happy as two people could be now.

“Thomas, I want to come home. Can you give Gage permission to come into Collier territory? We’re wrapping up this assignment today, tomorrow at the latest.”

“Yes, yes of course,” Lily blurted out. “Bring him home so I can interrogate him properly.”

Gage shot me a look.

“She’s kidding,” I said, then shrugged, really thinking about it. “Mostly.”

“Could you just let me do my job for once?” Thomas asked Lily. “Who is he? What pack is he from?” Thomas questioned me.

“Gage Ma. . .” Gage shook his head quickly, as if he didn’t want me to say. “Matthews,” I finished with a slight question to my voice.

Gage hung his head and sighed.

“Of the Virginia Matthews?” Thomas asked.

I raised a questioning eye at my mate.

“Not anymore,” he finally confessed.

“Wait, I remember Gage. He was a couple years older than Kyle. Quiet, but cute. Kept to himself a lot,” Lily said.

“Is there anyone you don’t know?” Thomas asked her.

“What? I’m good at remembering people,” she confessed.

“Kyle who?” Gage asked, curiosity setting in.

“Kyle Westin,” I said. “He’s Alpha of Westin Pack now.”

That seemed to shock him. “Did Jason Westin die?”

“No,” Lily was quick to point out. “He was severely injured in a battle and his powers transferred to my brother. Dad’s fine, though, enjoying his new role as Grandpa.”

“So, Thomas, can you just give him permission and we can discuss the rest later?”

“Yeah, of course. If he’s your true mate, it’s a given, Sis.”

“Thanks! Hopefully I’ll see you guys in a few days then. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” they said in unison before I hung up the phone.

Gage seemed even more distant than usual and I decided not to press him further. If Lily knew him, then his father must be someone of power. The Alpha and Beta kids always attended summer camps and sometimes even boarding school together. It helped strengthen alliances at a young age that would carry over into adulthood when it was their time to run things.

I knew Gage had cut ties and left his pack, but I had never considered he had run from it. He had only opened up to me a little about his mother’s infidelity. I knew that played a role in shaping his opinion on mates, but I couldn’t help wonder what had led him to leave his life at a young age and never return.

I also knew that whether he liked it or not, Thomas and Lily would dig up every piece of history on him now and would have those answers before we got home. I didn’t want to hear his story from them. I wanted Gage to open up and tell me himself, but I wasn’t sure that was going to happen anytime soon.

There was a knock at my door. “What?” I asked, a little more forcefully than I’d meant to. My frustrations with Gage were showing through.

Byron poked his head in. “If this is a bad time, we can come back later.”

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